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Grapehead · 08-17-2021, 11:36 AM

GCS S61 SHL Draft Prospects - Draft Review

With the S61 SHL Draft now in the rearview mirror, I wanted to get started right away on a follow-up piece to my final rankings for this draft class. If you missed the first article you can find it HERE, and there’s an explanation in there of what I took into account when determining the rankings.

First we’ll take a look at the results of the draft, pick by pick, and try to identify gaps in my scouting that led to any big discrepancies in my rankings. Then we’ll take a look at how I felt each SHL team did based on their available picks, selections, and trades. There’s a ton to cover here, so let’s get started!

ROUND 1

1st - Melvin Majestik-Moose
@SchwarzNarr
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 43.0 (1st)

No surprise here, Moose goes first. Manhattan lands one of the finest prospects you could hope for when selecting first overall. SchwarzNarr produced a ridiculous amount of multimedia content in their rookie SMJHL season, participated in every way they could, and scored high ratings across my board. Schwarz was also far and away the most popular user in the draft class survey. The Manhattan Rage are off to a great start to their draft day with this pick.

2nd - Atticus Hale
@the5urreal
Kraken

>>>

GCS Rating: 32.8 (8th)

No surprise here either. As I mentioned in my final rankings article, there were a few names I thought might jump into the top 5, and Atticus Hale was one of them. Hale was bound to be higher on the draft boards of the SHL GMs, because he did score well in most categories. This is an example of some of the gaps in my scouting that left a player rated a little lower, and the areas I can try to improve. the5urreal may also have been rated lower due to the multimedia rating appearing to favour article submissions over graphic submissions; another problem for me to address with future rankings. This is just an excellent pick by the Specters.

3rd - Leons Briedis
@monochroma
Knights

>>>

GCS Rating: 38.5 (4th)

This is a great pick for Montreal, and it’s because multimedia producers like monochroma are particularly valuable to growing expansion teams. monochroma had one of the highest per-submission incomes among their classmates, and if they focus their writing on their new SHL home, then Montreal will gain more attention around the league. Leons Briedis projects to be a big contributor for the Patriotes in a few seasons, and his bank account should help keep him on that trajectory.

4th - Adelie de Pengu
@WithTheMoose
Outlaws

>>>

GCS Rating: 39.8 (3rd)

This seems like a no-brainer for Manhattan based solely on the connection between WithTheMoose and SchwarzNarr. However, I can assure you that this was truly a no-brainer for Manhattan because Adelie de Pengu is a big time prospect, and the only one to score a 10.0 in three categories. The Rage now have 2 of the top 3 GCS rated prospects in this draft, and they still have more picks to come.

5th - Grogu Mandosson
@Muerto
Outlaws

>>>

GCS Rating: 32.3 (9th)

Here’s another “tier 2” prospect jumping into the top 5, and I can’t say I’m surprised by this one either. I actually had the pleasure of drafting Muerto 5th overall myself, back at the S43 SHL Draft, and I wouldn’t take it back. Calgary lands one of the best users the SHL has to offer, and they must be quite pleased with the fortuitous timing of muerto’s departure from Winnipeg giving them the opportunity to draft his newest player. I love this pick for the Dragons.

6th - Darwin Koff
@Lobbanet
Whalers

>>>

GCS Rating: 31.1 (13th)

The Dragons add another great player here at 6th, one who scored high in the categories I would say most GMs covet over others. I think Koff is another player who was undervalued in the overall rankings, because he was one of the most active prospects in this draft class. Darwin brings a lot to the table as a prospect, and this was certainly a good choice for the Dragons.

7th - Hans Graf
@Drokeep
Raptors

>>>

GCS Rating: 31.0 (14th)

Philadelphia stepped up for their first pick of the draft, and selected 14th ranked Hans Graf from the Colorado Raptors. Graf and Koff were ranked closely together, so it’s kind of neat to see them drafted close as well. Graf brings a strong activity rating, which is a huge factor for GMs surely, so it’s easy to see why he went 7th overall in this group. The Forge will be more than capable of helping Graf take that next step to the SHL one day down the road.

8th - Tomas Zadina
@caltroit_red_flames
Knights

>>>

GCS Rating: 29.3 (19th)

The first trade of the draft comes in with the New Orleans Specters jumping back into the first round at 8th overall, sending Tampa Bay an S63 1st and an S65 2nd. With the pick the Specters selected Tomas Zadina, and that really makes this a huge win for NOLA. Zadina was rated a bit lower in a few categories, but with a user like caltroit_red_flames you know you’re getting a great addition to your team worth trading up for. This really looks like a slam dunk for New Orleans.

9th - Gabe-Gooney-Waters Harrak
@nour
Raptors

>>>

GCS Rating: 33.5 (6th)

Clearly a great fit, and a nice pick up by the Steelhawks. Hamilton is obviously quite familiar with nour, so it was an easy choice for their GM to make at 9th overall. Despite not scoring particularly high in any one category, nour’s consistent placement in each category brought his rank up. There’s no doubt for Hamilton that they’ve got another future star here with this pick, and I’m sure they couldn’t be happier to see nour still available when they were called to the podium.

10th - Landon Fischermann
@efischermann
Whalers

>>>

GCS Rating: 30.5 (16th)

Seattle’s first pick is Landon Fischermann, right defenseman from the Vancouver Whalers. This is another high activity user, whose low ratings are ones that can easily be overlooked due to strong site participation. The Argonauts aren’t likely to be disappointed with this pick in the long run, and I’m sure they’re anxious to see how high Fischermann can fly.

11th - Eddie Kastrba
@hewasajazzman
Kraken

>>>

GCS Rating: 29.0 (21st)

This is the first player I feel was actually a bit of a “reach” based on the ratings I had compiled for Kastrba, where with previous picks in the draft I felt my ranking was off base more-so. That being said, hewasajazzman ranked quite high in both multimedia rating and player rating, so there’s no doubt Manhattan got a good player here. When you factor in that jazzman’s previous player played for the Rage, it makes the pick all the more calculated. Regardless of my feelings about the ranking, the Rage bring in a familiar face who will surely have success with their franchise.

12th - Willie Miller
@Sebster
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 41.0 (2nd)

Well well well, if it isn’t the first goalie selected. The Seattle Argonauts land Willie Miller, who was ranked 2nd by GCS, and in doing so solidify their goalie situation for years. While this slide was to be expected merely because the demand for goalies is low around the league, it’s still a homerun pick for the Argonauts. Miller played behind an inexperienced defense in Nevada this season, and still posted respectable numbers, and incredible game ratings. Willie Miller is a future McBride Trophy winner, I guarantee that.

13th - Conner Snooks
@Aleris
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 27.8 (23rd)

Another trade here, this time Philadelphia picks up the 13th overall pick from Edmonton in exchange for the 27th overall pick and a 1st in S62. Conner Snooks is a player who I think would’ve been ranked higher on my list if there had been even a few more days between the season end and the SHL draft. I’m not sure how the trade will look in the future, but for Philadelphia the only important part is that they’re excited about bringing in Conner Snooks, and I think they certainly should be.

14th - Patya Perevalov
@natedoeshockey
Kraken

>>>

GCS Rating: 37.0 (5th)

I would consider this pick to be the first real “steal” of the draft to this point. Patya Perevalov was ranked 5th by GCS because of the level of activity, the quality of media, and the overall participation level natedoeshockey brought, not to mention being the SMJHL intern. Minnesota is probably over the moon with this pick, and I’m there with them. Great choice!

15th - Big Newff
@Big Newff
Timber

>>>

GCS Rating: 29.4 (18th)

The Hamilton Steelhawks are back up for their second selection, this time going with Maine Timber winger, Big Newff. The only knock on Big Newff is that he could have a bigger bank account, but considering he still has enough to coast for at least a full season it’s not really an issue. So there’s not much to dislike about what Big Newff brings to the team.

16th - Jay Cue
@Opera_Phantom
Timber

>>>

GCS Rating: 30.9 (15th)

The Hamilton Steelhawks are back up for their third selection, this time going with Maine Timber … sound familiar? Yes that’s right, back to back picks from Maine to Hamilton. Jay Cue joins his teammate Big Newff in Hamilton, and the Steelhawks look real smart for finding picks who may bring some pre-developed chemistry to the team some day. Opera_Phantom was another very active user, and someone who was clearly putting lots of effort toward the SHL.

17th - Towelie
@Blastmeaway
Armada

>>>

GCS Rating: 23.0 (34th)

This is one of the bigger discrepancies between my rank and the player’s draft position, but I’m really not surprised. Atlanta brings in a user who is well loved around the league, and someone who can bring a positive influence into the locker room. Towelie ranked well below their value in part due to a lack of site participation, but when you’re sitting pretty on a fat stack of cash, and a golden reputation, it’s not always necessary to try and stand out.

18th - Duncan Mackenzie
@DarkCanuck29
Knights

>>>

GCS Rating: 24.8 (30th)

Calgary is up again, this time taking Duncan Mackenzie. Just like Conner Snooks, I feel as though Mackenzie could have achieved a higher rank had there been just a bit more time between the Challenge Cup and the draft. The Dragons get a highly active prospect late in the first round, and one they likely had some familiarity with given the connection between the Knights and Dragons GM Mike Izzy.

19th - Clem Fandango
@UberBJ
Falcons

>>>

GCS Rating: 23.3 (32nd)

Another pick I’m sure was motivated by the player’s activity level, and likely a good feeling from the GM. UberBJ was lacking in the multimedia department, being just the second player selected who hadn’t turned in their deep dives (Towelie was the first), and that was a big part of his lower overall rating, but none of that matters if you make a good impression on the GM.

20th - Max Manning
@jay2233
Raptors

>>>

GCS Rating: 29.5 (17th)

This is a solid pick from Seattle to finish the first round. Max Manning is a center for the Colorado Raptors, and jay2233 is a productive member of the community so far. The Raptors love him, and he seems to have made a good impression on the SHL in general. Another great pick for Seattle here.

ROUND 2

21st - Giannis Kroustis
@Air Crou
Whalers

>>>

GCS Rating: 26.8 (26th)

The Specters kicked off the second round by selecting Giannis Kroustis from the Vancouver Whalers. Kroustis was another player I felt was undervalued by the ratings, and the Specters were actually quite lucky to see his name still on the board here in the second.

22nd - Bjorn Viggosson
@Ace
Outlaws

>>>

GCS Rating: 32.3 (10th)

Quite a steal for Winnipeg here, but of course this is only because Ace is the GM of Winnipeg. I can only imagine there was some sort of gentlemen’s agreement that Ace would select his player with Winnipeg’s first pick, which just happened to be the 22nd pick. So bravo to Winnipeg for landing such outstanding value here.

23rd - Randy Marsh
@LucidDreams702
Timber

>>>

GCS Rating: 18.4 (48th)

This pick was a bit of a head scratcher to me, but I’ll say again that a GM’s impression of a player from their scouting is always going to trump any rating system. That being said, LucidDreams702 scored a 1.0 in two categories, and was just the second player drafted who submitted no articles, graphics, or deep dives (Towelie being the first), which is why I consider this a reach by San Francisco. Of course, some users bring a LR presence that is worth more than anything else, and perhaps that’s what SFP saw in Marsh.

24th - Joe Burrow
@LSUFAN101

>>>

GCS Rating: 25.3 (29th)

Trade alert! New England leapfrogs San Francisco by trading with… San Francisco. The 24th overall pick went to New England, while the 26th and 54th picks went to the Pride. The Wolfpack used the pick to select Citadelles Center, Joe Burrow. I’m not sure I get this trade for New England, unless they had intel telling them that SFP was taking Burrow. Burrow himself is a solid prospect, and great addition for the Wolfpack.

25th - Petr Svoboda
@artermis
Knights

>>>

GCS Rating: 32.0 (12th)

What a grab here for the Pride, picking up one of the top recreates available in this draft in the second round. Arty has played with the franchise in the past, so there’s familiarity there, and he brings a lot of winning experience with 4 Challenge Cup wins and 4 Four Star Cup wins under his belt. I’ve had the pleasure of sharing a LR with artermis more than once, and he is always a team favourite.

26th - Emeril Lagasse
@Emeril
Berserkers

>>>

GCS Rating: 15.5 (59th)

The Pride were up at 26, as a result of the previously mentioned trade with New England, and they took Newfoundland Berserker, Emeril Lagasse. Emeril was the first Berserker off the board at the draft, and I’m quite surprised by the selection myself. The Pride seem to be confident that Emeril’s recent uptick in activity will translate to having a fully active prospect on their hands. It’s never too late to return to activity, especially so close to your draft, so Emeril could easily make this pick look golden in a few seasons.

27th - Vincent Fox
@Jimmysmo27
Kraken

>>>

GCS Rating: 15.3 (60th)

Edmonton was up to make their first pick, after trading back from 13th overall with Philadelphia. The Blizzard selected Kraken defenseman, Vincent Fox, and I have to imagine this is another situation where the GM felt very good about their connection with a particular prospect. Fox didn’t score very well on the ratings, but as many of us know this is a marathon and not a race, so it really doesn’t matter how the first season went if he puts in the work going forward to improve his player.

28th - Luka Kovacsova
@Slav1cThor
Timber

>>>

GCS Rating: 32.3 (11th)

Winnipeg was up now for their first real selection of the draft, and with that pick they chose Luka Kovacsova from the Maine Timber. Here’s a player that I think may have actually been overvalued a bit by the ratings, but nonetheless I still expected them to be a first round pick. If Kovacsova stays active, then Winnipeg is going to be looking back fondly on this pick in due time.

29th - Jannik Nordstern
@KlusteR
Berserkers

>>>

GCS Rating: 33.3 (7th)

Oh how sweet it is to auto-draft your co-GM. Minnesota lands the 7th ranked Jannik Nordstern at 29th, but only because KlusteR does lots of work to help run the team. Regardless of the fact that this pick was automatic, it’s still an amazing addition for the Monarchs.

30th - Archangelo Scaradog Jr.
@Citizen of Adraa
Timber

>>>

GCS Rating: 28.5 (22nd)

Speaking of auto-drafted co-GMs, here’s CoA’s player Archangelo Sacaradog Jr. getting selected by the Rage. Management is one of the strengths in Manhattan, so keeping the group together was important heading into this draft, and luckily they had multiple second round picks to work with.

31st - Samuel Kjellsson
@Tanner
Citadelles

>>>

GCS Rating: 20.8 (40th)

This is an interesting pick, because Samuel Kjellsson comes with a lot of upside, despite what his ranking might imply. Montreal at the very least brings in a well liked member to help grow their team, and could very well have one of the big steals of this draft. Tanner is a smart guy, and it’s no coincidence he has a HOF badge on the forums, so don’t be surprised to see Kjellsson become a household name.

32nd - Ahlo Kysoka
@Lazyeye
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 21.5 (36th)

Here’s another former pick of mine from the S43 draft, and not the last one to come either. Lazyeye was always a great teammate in the LR in SFP, so I like this pick for Manhattan a lot. Would’ve ranked much higher if he’d completed the deep dives, but in the long run Kysoka and the Rage won’t likely miss that 10 TPE all that much.

33rd - Dobby Hintzskanen
@ephenssta
Outlaws

>>>

GCS Rating: 20.5 (41st)

Edmonton took Anaheim’s Dobby Hintzskanen with their second pick of the draft, and this is sort of a boom/bust pick, although I’m hesitant to use the word “bust” given it’s clear negative connotation. Ephenssta might be building a very solid player here, and so long as he’s actively progressing his player the Blizzard will be happy.

34th - Donald Jr Trump
@Junior
Raptors

>>>

GCS Rating: 26.0 (28th)

Solid pick for New England, adding a winger with their second pick, after having traded up to select Joe Burrow earlier in round two. Junior has produced some profitable content, been submitting every PT, and been close to a max earner with TPE. The Wolfpack will be hoping to see Junior continue on this road to the SHL.

35th - Sean Stevenson III
@Obsidian311
Knights

>>>

GCS Rating: 27.0 (25th)

This is that other S43 draft pick I hinted at earlier. Obsidian, and Sean Stevenson II, were one of the great steals of that draft, and it looks like Sean Stevenson III might just be a steal himself. Winnipeg brings in one of the most active users left in the draft here, and a prospect that should grow into a solid contributor.

36th - Conner Tanner
@Keygan
Whalers

>>>

GCS Rating: 29.3 (20th)

Keygan stepping down from Edmonton prior to the draft meant that Conner Tanner was available for any team to select, and surprisingly he landed with the New Orleans Specters. I guess some other GMs may have had a few questions about how keygan’s SHL life would look post-GMing, but NOLA saw the opportunity to bring in someone with a ton of experience with the league.

37th - Spicy MacHaggis
@LairdButler
Scarecrows

>>>

GCS Rating: 21.5 (37th)

Spicy MacHaggis is one of a handful of players to have their GCS rank match their draft position. Kind of interesting. Anyway, the Atlanta Inferno liked what they saw from MacHaggis this season it seems, and are banking on his activity to keep on trucking.

38th - Sam Stone
@TML99
Scarecrows

>>>

GCS Rating: 19.3 (45th)

Sam Stone didn’t score very high in any particular category on the GCS ratings, but TML has a reputation that some teams really love. He was a long time SMJHL GM, and a respected one at that, so you know the Dragons are most likely getting a character guy.

39th - Meeka Keprosoft
@Lowlycrib
Kraken

>>>

GCS Rating: 17.5 (49th)

With a few goalies left to choose from, Montreal went with the Carolina Kraken goalie. Presumably Montreal liked something about what their scouting was saying on Keprosoft, and pulled the trigger. Might have been a good thing too, since there’s a chance Keprosoft might have been gone before Montreal’s next pick.

40th - Konstantin Selich
@Tomen
Citadelles

>>>

GCS Rating: 27.5 (24th)

Another co-GM here, giving Buffalo an incredibly valuable second round pick. Tomen anywhere but Buffalo would be weird.

ROUND 3

42nd - Jonas Johansson
@Omniscius
Berserkers

>>>

GCS Rating: 17.3 (50th)

Winnipeg went with a goalie here, and one who will be coming up through an outstanding organization in Newfoundland. It’s likely that Johansson will continue to post good numbers for however long he spends in the SMJHL, so there’s no rush bringing him up to the SHL.

43rd - Jamal Nightingale
@academydropout
Raptors

>>>

GCS Rating: 26.5 (27th)

Seattle Argonauts select Nightingale, and this looks like a great pick. Activity is spotty among the remaining prospects in the draft, but academydropout hasn’t missed many TPE opportunities this season.

44th - Jalal ad-Din Afinogenov
@rory
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 14.0 (57th)

Montreal picked one of my ram friends, and they’re hoping to see Jalal ad-Din Afinogenov up with the big club in 3 seasons or so. Rory did do a majority of PT tasks, but overall site participation beyond that was kind of low. At the very least Montreal adds a friendly teammate to their ranks, and in 4 seasons they might just have a solid winger on their hands.

45th - Scott Thorn
@greencityny
Knights

>>>

GCS Rating: 14.8 (56th)

Montreal was then back up for another pick here, and this time went with Kelowna winger, Scott Thorn. I think Thorn and Afinogenov project kind of similarly, although I’d say greencityny was slightly more active overall.

46th - Kayden Pale
@Crazylemire
Citadelles

>>>

GCS Rating: 20.3 (42nd)

Solid pick here for the Wolfpack, with some good upside. Crazylemire has been fairly active since joining days before the trade deadline, meaning Pale is one of the later created players among this class. New England is definitely betting on this kid keeping busy, and the pick could pay off in a few seasons.

47th - Jeff Hopkins
@H0PPY75
Citadelles

>>>

GCS Rating: 18.8 (46th)

If Philadelphia can convince H0PPY75 to do more PTs, then this could be a really slick pick for them in a few seasons. Jeff Hopkins looks to be a bit of a project for the Forge, but with a little extra work he should be able to crack the SHL one day.

49th - Sam Siege
@EsAmYk
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 23.0 (34th)

I’ve tried to remain unbiased toward my Nevada teammates, but this pick looks excellent for the Monarchs. Sam has been a super active member of our discord, and I think Minnesota found a gem here in the later stages of the draft.

51st - Magnus Galtisson
@Hall
Raptors

>>>

GCS Rating: 17.3 (51st)

The Seattle Argonauts jumped back in here to acquire 51st overall from New England for their S64 3rd round pick. The Argonauts clearly felt a connection to Magnus Galtisson, and pulled the trigger to get their guy late in the draft.

53rd - Rusty Remao
@Sly92
Timber

>>>

GCS Rating: 21.4 (39th)

Edmonton added a good goalie prospect in Rusty Remao, one who I think still needs a few seasons in the SMJHL to develop.

54th - Patrice Bergeron Jr.
@FnoRespect
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 20.3 (43rd)

To finish off the pick swap between SFP and NEW earlier in the draft, the Pride were up again at pick 54. This time they selected another Nevada teammate of mine, Patrice Bergeron Jr. FnoRespect has been a good teammate, so I think San Francisco makes a real nice snag to finish off their draft.

57th - Michael Robertson
@Locagiess
Timber

>>>

GCS Rating: 16.5 (54th)

Solid pick from Atlanta to complete their draft. Robertson/Locagiess has shown signs of activity, and deserved to have a team pick him here, so good for him.

59th - Chicago Bound
@Sly
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 13.0 (62nd)

With a name like Chicago Bound it’s hard to imagine any other team drafting him. I liked Peanut Butter more.

ROUND 4

63rd - Alexis Paquette
@ReaperComePepegaAim
Timber

>>>

GCS Rating: 15.9 (58th)

Manhattan was still going strong with the selections here in the fourth round, picking Maine Timber forward, Alexis Paquette.

69th - Barry B. Benson
@MichaelLum30
Whalers

>>>

GCS Rating: 15.5 (55th)

Minnesota finishes off their draft with Vancouver Whalers forward, Barry B. Benson. The Monarchs are hoping to see Benson develop into a depth player for them in a few seasons.

ROUND 5

83rd - Sebastian Weiss
@dylanjj37
Knights

>>>

GCS Rating: 24.8 (31st)

Manhattan once again, this time grabbing a player GCS had rated much higher. Sebastian Weiss is asking himself what more he has to do to impress these GMs, but I know that the GMs don’t avoid players without good reason.

ROUND 6

102nd - Wing Wang
@platanocat
Battleborn

>>>

GCS Rating: 20.0 (44th)

Finally Manhattan makes their last pick. Wing Wang expressed interest in staying in the SMJHL indefinitely, which likely turned GMs away, but platanocat is a wonderful teammate to have. Maybe the Rage can convince Wing Wang to make the jump to the big leagues in 4 seasons.

Auto - Tanner Fox
@FuzzSHL
Kraken

>>>

GCS Rating: 21.5 (38th)

Oh, and here is LAP GM FuzzSHL’s newest player, Tanner Fox. Per SHL rules, Fox is not required to be selected in the draft, and is automatically added to the LAP payroll.

Team Breakdown

Inferno

Atlanta Inferno Inferno

Picks: 17 , 37 , 57
Draftees: Towelie (33) , Spicy MacHaggis (37) , Michael Robertson (54)
EAD: 37.0 (+4.3)
RAD: 41.3 (-4.3)

Atlanta had a pretty good draft, and I wager they’re quite thrilled with who they walked away with. Towelie definitely needs to come through for them if they hope to have this draft look good in hindsight in a few years.

Buffalo Stampede

Picks: 40
Draftees: Konstantin Selich (24)
EAD: 40.0 (-16.0)
RAD: 24.0 (+16.0)

Buffalo essentially made no picks in this draft, so it’s not really fair to compare them. Tomen’s player will be phenomenal some day, no doubt.

Dragons

Calgary Dragons Dragons

Picks: 5 , 6 , 18 , 38
Draftees: Grogu Mandosson (9) , Darwin Koff (13) , Duncan Mackenzie (30) , Sam Stone (45)
EAD: 16.8 (+7.5)
RAD: 24.3 (-7.5)

I actually really like these picks for Calgary, and I think they’ve added four players who will gel with their LR. The -7.5 RAD would suggest these picks clash with my feelings on these prospects, but I think more than anything the Dragons have brought in a strong draft class.

Chicago Syndicate

Picks: 59
Draftees: Chicago Bound (62)
EAD: 59.0 (+3.0)
RAD: 62.0 (-3.0)

Just the one pick for Chicago, and they made a pretty good one. Chicago Bound won’t have lofty expectations to meet, and can focus on taking time to develop.

Edmonton Blizzard

Picks: 27 , 33 , 53
Draftees: Vincent Fox (60) , Dobby Hintzskanen (41) , Rusty Remao (39)
EAD: 37.7 (+9.0)
RAD: 46.7 (-9.0)

GCS Rankings would suggest Edmonton didn’t land any “high-end” prospects from this draft class, but they did add three active prospects to their organization. I would’ve expected a little more value for the picks the Blizzard had, but like I’ve said over and over, the GMs know the connection they have with the player better than any rating could suggest.

Hamilton Steelhawks

Picks: 9 , 15 , 16
Draftees: Gabe-Gooney-Waters Harrak (6) , Big Newff (18) , Jay Cue (15)
EAD: 13.3 (-0.3)
RAD: 13.0 (+0.3)

The Steelhawks made their first round picks and then took the rest of the night off. I thought they were right on the money with their picks, grabbing talented players in all three spots, and all quite active.

Los Angeles Panthers

Picks: None
Draftees: Tanner Fox (38)
EAD: N/A
RAD: 38.0 (-)

Technically they didn’t select Fox during the draft, but they still got a very talented prospect from this draft class.

Rage

Manhattan Rage Rage

Picks: 1 , 4 , 11 , 19 , 30 , 32 , 63 , 83 , 102
Draftees: Melvin Majestik-Moose (1) , Adelie de Pengu (3) , Eddie Kastrba (21) , Clem Fandango (32) , Archangelo Scaradog Jr. (22) , Ahlo Kysoka (36) , Alexis Paquette (58) , Sebastian Weiss (31) , Wing Wang (44)
EAD: 38.3 (-10.7)
RAD: 27.6 (+10.7)

Manhattan invested a lot of draft capital into this one, and walked away with a stocked cupboard of prospects. They managed to bring in a variety of familiar faces, future stars, and high risk/high reward players, giving them an enviable stable of young talent.

Minnesota Monarchs

Picks: 14 , 29 , 49 , 69
Draftees: Patya Perevalov (5) , Jannik Nordstern (7) , Sam Siege (34) , Barry B. Benson (55)
EAD: 40.3 (-15.0)
RAD: 25.3 (+15.0)

I want to say Minnesota had the draft I liked most, but it’s hard to ignore that they got Jannik Nordstern automatically. Even so, I think they got really great value in their other three picks, especially with Perevalov and Siege. Minnesota might have reason to be the most pleased with themselves after the draft, but of course we have to really wait to see how the players turn out.

Montreal Patriotes

Picks: 3 , 31 , 39 , 44 , 45
Draftees: Leons Briedis (4) , Samuel Kjellsson (40), Meeka Keprosoft (49) , Jalal ad-Din Afinogenov (57) , Scott Thorn (56)
EAD: 32.4 (+8.8)
RAD: 41.2 (-8.8)

Leons Briedis is a big time prospect, so much so that getting him in this draft is enough to call Montreal’s draft a success in my opinion. They didn’t just get Briedis though, they got several prospects with some serious potential, not least of which is Samuel Kjellsson, who might be the best of the bunch after Leons.

New England Wolfpack

Picks: 24 , 34 , 46
Draftees: Joe Burrow (29) , Donald Jr Trump (28) , Kayden Pale (42)
EAD: 34.7 (-1.7)
RAD: 33.0 (+1.7)

Not a bad draft for the Wolfpack, which included trading up for Joe Burrow in the second round. They seem to have acquired their targets here, and added to their prospect pool with some shrewd scouting.

New Orleans Specters

Picks: 2 , 8 , 21 , 36
Draftees: Atticus Hale (8) , Tomas Zadina (19) , Giannis Kroustis (26) , Conner Tanner (20)
EAD: 16.8 (+1.5)
RAD: 18.3 (-1.5)

I think the Specters may have had the best draft out of anyone. Despite the -1.5 RAD implying I might disagree with some of these picks, it looks to me like NOLA landed four of the most active users in this draft, and what’s better than that? They did pay the price to get the pick for Zadina, but all in all the draft was a big success for the Specters.

Forge

Philadelphia Forge Forge

Picks: 7 , 13 , 47
Draftees: Hans Graf (14) , Conner Snooks (23) , Jeff Hopkins (46)
EAD: 22.3 (+5.4)
RAD: 27.7 (-5.4)

I think the Forge hit on both of their first round picks here, and I think Hopkins has potential as well, so it was a good draft for them overall. I’m biased toward Snooks, being teammates with him in Nevada, but I think they got a sneakily good prospect that will surprise some people.

Seattle Argonauts

Picks: 10 , 12 , 20 , 43 , 51
Draftees: Landon Fischermann (16) , Willie Willer (2) , Max Manning (17) , Jamal Nightingale (27) , Magnus Galtisson (51)
EAD: 27.2 (-4.6)
RAD: 22.6 (+4.6)

Regardless of the demand for goalies, Seattle drafting Willie Miller at 12th overall is an absolute steal! I would say it’s pretty close between Seattle and New Orleans for my favourite draft, because the Argonauts have found a lot of really active players here as well, even Galtisson who has been more active since the GCS rankings were finalized.

pride

San Francisco Pride pride

Picks: 23 , 25 , 26 , 54
Draftees: Randy Marsh (48) , Petr Svoboda (12) , Emeril Lagasse (59) , Patrice Bergeron Jr. (43)
EAD: 32.0 (+8.5)
RAD: 40.5 (-8.5)

I’d say San Francisco’s is a draft that we’ll have to wait and see on, as I don’t feel they landed any “sure fire” prospects. That being said, they brought in a relatively active group of users, who carry potential to develop into successful contributors for the Pride down the road. I’m a big fan of the Svoboda pick, and I’m genuinely excited to see how these prospects come along for SFP.

Aurora

Winnipeg Aurora Aurora

Picks: 22 , 28 , 35 , 42
Draftees: Bjorn Viggosson (10) , Luka Kovacsova (11) , Sean Stevenson III (25) , Jonas Johansson (50)
EAD: 31.8 (-7.8)
RAD: 24.0 (+7.8)

Finally we have the Winnipeg Aurora, who had a great draft, thanks in part to acquiring Ace’s new player early in the second round. Luka Kovacsova and Sean Stevenson III were both ranked much higher than the spot Winnipeg was able to snag them, so that’s got to feel like a big win for Aurora management.

Baltimore Platoon, Toronto North Stars, Tampa Bay Barracuda, and Texas Renegades all added zero new prospects in this draft. I’m sure there are various good reasons why these teams opted to skip this draft, so I won’t try to speculate about them at all.

Overall, if I had to pick one of the teams as the biggest winner of the draft, I’d have to go with the Seattle Argonauts. There were a number of teams who could share the title with Seattle though, and I don’t think there were really any “losers” (although four teams did miss out entirely) at this draft. The Argonauts may have had a little luck on their side, but they certainly didn’t have any freebies and they made the most of every pick. It will be fun to look back on this draft in a few seasons, and see all the places in which I’m totally off base. Congratulations to all the players who got drafted, and best of luck to you all in your journey to SHL stardom!

DeletedAtUserRequest · 08-17-2021, 11:41 AM

This is excellent grape.

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***DarkCanuck29*** · 08-17-2021, 11:44 AM

This is a really cool breakdown and a fun overall concept! Great Job.

Winnipeg Aurora Aurora

***artermis*** · 08-19-2021, 01:55 PM

<3

the5urreal · 08-19-2021, 02:59 PM

Glad I could be of service! And amen on Patya being a steal. He'll definitely be out for vengeance.

natedoeshockey · 08-19-2021, 05:38 PM

08-19-2021, 02:59 PMthe5urreal Wrote: Glad I could be of service! And amen on Patya being a steal. He'll definitely be out for vengeance.

Patya am confirming this. Am enjoy write-up very much!

***SpartanGibbles*** · 08-19-2021, 06:26 PM

Great article Grape, we were also shocked when Perevalov fell to 14, we had him gone so much sooner on our draft board we never thought it was an actual option.

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